offered to His Heavenly Father not only Himself and His works, but with Himself us also and our works.
So that our offerings must be made in union with, and trustful dependence upon His.
For the second thing, consider well before you make your offering, whether your will has any attachment, for if so, it must first he disengaged from every affection; and have recourse to God, in order that He, with His right Hand, may loose you; so that, freed and delivered from all hindrance, you may be able to offer yourself to His Divine Majesty.
And be very watchful on this point; since, if you offer yourself to God, whilst some irregular affection for the creature remains, you do not offer yourself, but that which is another's, in that you are not your own, but belong to those creatures to whom your heart is given; a thing which is displeasing to the Lord—as if it were your desire to mock Him. Hence it is, that so many oblations of ourselves not only return to us void and fruitless, but afterwards we fall into various defects and sins.
We may offer ourselves to God, whilst still cleaving to the creatures, but it must be in order that by His Goodness we may be set free, so that we may be able to offer ourselves wholly to His Divine Majesty, and to His service; and
